I didn’t care much for getting dolled up on a regular basis, but tonight I would make an exception because it was the infamous CSC Friday Night Mixer. There would be hundreds of doctors, donors, cancer survivors, patients, and celebrities, all mingling together on the bottom floor of the hotel, which included five separate bar spaces. It was a night when we all could let loose a little, joke, and smile, in spite of the deathly seriousness of the topic which hovered in our thoughts and behind everyone’s eyes.
I put on a red dress with a low-cut top that accentuated my curves. After I’d put on bright red lipstick and adjusted my cleavage to perfection, a stranger stared back at me from the mirror. I was so used to my white lab coat, glasses, and hair-up-in-a-bun look, which I sported six days a week at the hospital, and it had been far too long since I had a proper night out.
Snapping a selfie, I sent it to my friend Phoebe, who was accompanying me to the bar.
Phoebe: Holy Mother of Vegas who isthat?!
Catarina: Since I’m being deported in one week, I’ve been overcome with an extreme case of YOLO. So I’m going all out tonight
Phoebe: Ugh. We’ll think of something! I have faith. And you look gorge. See you in twenty at the main bar?
Catarina: ok!
Since I had some time to kill, I pulled up my phone and checked the names of the celebrities who were going to be around at the auction tomorrow. There were a few late additions, including one who I’d seen a few times in the news lately: Dustin LeBlanc.
My curiosity piqued, I Googled him and clicked the first article that came up, which was from a site called GritNewsFeed. I couldn’t quite tell if the site specialized in actual news or gossip. But I read it since it was about the guy who I saw get in a fight the other night, and I was curious.
Dustin LeBlanc:League’s Worst Womanizer or Thug?
Chicago, IL --- January 21st
After a bruising, controversial play which left a Washington D.C. Cougars defenseman in the hospital, All-Star center Dustin LeBlanc has no comment on whether he intended to injure his opponent.
“I just like to play good and hard,” DeMarco said, from the hospital after the game, where his injuries were being tended.“Good, hard honest hockey. I’m not sure why LeBlanc needed to throw his weight around like he did, but I just pray to God I can make a speedy recovery after what happened.”
LeBlanc was suspended for nine games, including the All-Star Game this weekend. He is the Tigers’ number one scorer of all time, but lately, his image has taken a hit.
In particular, a New Year’s outing he had with supermodels Danika Merico and Fatima Ryan that he live snapchatted was viewed over three million times. Since videos never die anymore, you can view thearchive of that video here.
LeBlanc denied that he was dating either of the two women, but his live snapchats from that night tell a different story.
He also refused to comment on which side of his reputation was currently worse: his thug side or womanizer side.
We’ll let you make up your own mind about the man colloquially known as hockey’s biggest Puckboy.
I twirled a lock of my hair. The article seemed harsh, but there was a certain truth that resonated with me. Dealing with asshole athlete types was one of the worst parts about these events. It seemed that most of them didn’t care about the kids. Or cancer. They just wanted to create theappearanceof caring for a news bite or a social media post.
Their egos were so huge, though, they were virtually incapable of such a thing.
Taking one more look at myself in the mirror, I repositioned my bust and headed out into the hallway of my hotel. It was a little like I had a new identity tonight. I felt different, down to my core. This sense of finality hung over me. I was still in some shock thinking about how I would have to leave the country. I’d bought the plane ticket to head back to Barcelona next Friday.
My worst nightmare was coming true.
Closing the door to my room, I smiled as I walked down the hallway, and thought of mypapá. Whenever I was feeling down, I would think of him and tell him he needed to give me some strength, wherever he was.
A feeling of warmth came over me thinking of him, the strongest man I’d ever known. In spite of the challenge put before me, I made sure I hung onto my sense of determination. I was used to people thinking my goals were a little far-fetched.
Like on the day after my dad died when I was eight, and I declared I would be a doctor, and announced it to my third-grade teacher.
You think that now, Cata. But trust me, it’s better to be realistic. Maybe you can be a good wife and a nurse.
No, I’m going to be a doctor.
Ms. Lopez laughed in my face and patted me on the head.Sure you will, Cata. Sure you will.
And now, I knew therewasa way to stay in the United States. I just hadn’t examined all the angles yet. Therehad tobe a way. And I would figure it out.
My mind flickered back into doctor mode when an extremely drunk young man got into the elevator with me. He rode down a couple of floors.
